Page 33 of Max Bannon

We all sat down, the table suddenly feeling just a little less like a war zone and a little more like home.

“Alright,” Dad said after a bite. “I’ll admit it. These are the best damn eggs I’ve had in years.”

“Military secret,” Max said with a shrug.

“Guess I’m gonna have to get used to seeing your truck in the driveway, when I visit huh?” Jake muttered.

Max met his eyes evenly. “That’s the plan. Until we move into the B&B.”

The table went quiet.

Then Dad cleared his throat. “If Tessa is happy. That’s all I care about.”

Max didn’t flinch. “I intend to keep her happy.”

I swallowed hard, something warm blooming in my chest that had nothing to do with the coffee.

Because in that moment, I realized something…

I wasn’t embarrassed anymore.

I washis.

And maybe, just maybe, he was mine too.

Maybe this was just the start.

We decidedto stay at the B&B since my cabin had only one bedroom.

“It's beautiful up here. I bet you get some big snowstorms in the winter,” Dad said as he walked back to the outdoor kitchen, where Max cooked steaks. “How old is this Inn? It’s beautiful.”

“It’s over one hundred years. I bought it because I knew when my family comes to visit, we needed lots of rooms. It comes in handy when someone visits my buddies, and they can stay here. I enjoy having people stay here. It was too quiet when Tessa moved to the cabin.”

“Tessa, how do you like living on the mountain?” Jake asked.

“I love it here. I enjoy teaching the fourth graders. I love teaching them and watching them learn.”

“But you are a surgeon,” Jake said. “Don’t you want to get back to saving lives?”

“I’m considering only emergency surgeries in the future. For now I’ll keep teaching children. I like being around the children, they make my heart feel warm. I know that sounds crazy but that’s how I feel.”

I don’t think it sounds crazy, you make my heart feel warm,” Max said.

I smiled and walked over and kissed him. This is why I love you. You make all of me warm.”

“You love me?”

“Whoops! Did I say that out loud?”

“Yep, and you can’t take it back.”

“I don’t want to take it back,” I said, kissing him.

My Dad looked like he would cry, and Jake turned his head, was he crying. They can stop worrying about me I feel like my mind has shifted back to normal.

Later that night, as Dad and Jake sat at the table playing cards and acting like they weren’t watching us, I overheard something I wasn’t meant to hear.

“She’s not as scattered as she used to be,” Jake said quietly.

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